Moog Minimoog Model D Audio (Sneak Preview)

The company is using ‘new old stock’ parts to build it, with the goal of making it sound like a new vintage Minimoog. Official specs and audio demos are still to come, because Moog was assembling the initial units onsite at Moogfest.

This video, though, offers a preview of the new synth’s raw sound: monophonic audio, direct from the synth and panned center. We recorded Moog Music’s Nick Montoya making a variety of sounds. What little dialog there is in the video has intentionally been mixed to be quiet.

The video does demonstrate a couple of capabilities of the new Minimoog Model D that were not available in the original: aftertouch CV, which can be patched to control things like pitch or filter cutoff; and a dedicated LFO.

Sounds like nothing but digestive noises at first. But he gets into some pretty interesting patches from about 3:00 on. Seems like everybody who demos a Mini Moog thinks of it as a bass synth, since they always start with the low gurgle sounds. Every Mini Moog demo on the internet starts off this way, at least.

It won’t be the same as your vintage because it’s brand new and yours is 40 years old. And yours won’t sound identical to another model D, or the variations within the original run because that’s the way it is with vintage synths. And if you own an original you’re probably not going to buy one anyway.

People said the same about the ms20 and odyssey reissues, but then it turned out the modern ones sounded as close as any two vintage models sounded to each other. and this model D reissue is even more authentic than the ms20 and Odyseey because they didn’t have to make any substitutions. So actually, this is a Model D as much as any Model D and probably sounds as much like a model D as any two vintage ones compared side by side.

It’s always people who own the vintage ones that give out about reissues, probably due to fear of falling prices. The ms20 and Odyseey did fall in price after the reissues, the MS20 by as much as 1/3rd. But I don’t see it happening with the Model D as the reissue won’t be mass produced like the Korg stuff.

Anyway, point is, stop finding reasons to diss this. it’s bloody brilliant and anyone would be lucky to own one.

“Anyway, point is, stop finding reasons to diss this. it’s bloody brilliant and anyone would be lucky to own one.:

Well said.

There’s a reason the Model D is way more expensive than the KARP or the MS-20 Mini. It isn’t a cheaply made, surface-mount mini synth.

It’s great that you can get both cheap knock-offs and stuff like this. You can get a lot of synth for $500-1000 bucks, nowadays. But we are lucky that there are a few companies – mainly Moog and Yamaha – that are still making synths built as well as they did 30-40 years ago.

I don’t think we’re ever going to see Moog go the cheap clone route. They’re already making synths that are affordable (like the Model 15 app, the Mother-32 and the Sub 37), without compromises.

Except, back then, none of us would have been able to afford gear like this. A Minimoog cost three or four month’s salary, in the 70s.

Young people have no idea how cheap gear is now, not just compared to the 70s, but even compared to 10 or 20 years ago. Back then, all most of us could afford to do was to look at the back of album covers and drool.

That’s a fair statement Brian, I can agree with that. However I suppose I am increasingly astonished that Moog, with the wealth of knowledge and engineering prowess, they continuously toil in the past. I am aware this is not a popular stance yet I am still waiting for Moog to forge into the future. That is what Bob was doing.

I hear this argument a lot and there is a bit of truth to it I suppose if you ignore their forays into apps, pedals, the Voyagers, Phattys and now Eurorack. Some of that is just a format shift and agreeably nothing earth shattering. But I would say that Moog’s most famous instruments seemed to be before their time. The company almost failed in fact. Now these same instruments are selling out consistently at premium prices but are still far more accessible now than they were before. I think they do a very good job at balancing their heritage with modern technology.

“they continuously toil in the past. I am aware this is not a popular stance yet I am still waiting for Moog to forge into the future.”

It’s not that your statement isn’t popular – it’s just not based in reality.

It ignores Animoog, one of the best software synths available on the iPad. It ignores the Mother-32, which has been hard to get because it offers Eurorack users so much bang for the buck. It ignores the cool stuff they’re doing with MPE, supporting controllers like the LinnStrument.

It ignores the fact that Moog isn’t afraid to kill off classics from the past, like the Voyager, to make room in their line for more modern synths, like the Sub 37.

Most of all, it ignores the fact that it was Bob Moog that stuck a decidedly non-futuristic organ keyboard on his synthesizers, when other companies were doing much more futuristic stuff. Electronic musicians wanted a keyboard.

Whilst I think Brad make’s some valid points, Torgood, your interpretation is highly selective! Brad hit it right on the nail, it is regurgitation of the same technology in different form factors. Nothing new, nothing earth shattering.

And the Animoog, whilst impressive, hardly innovation considering how utterly resource hungry it is to run.

I have nothing more to add to this discussion actually. I am constantly than even with synthesis, human nature reverts to what is comfortable…somehow the past was always better.

this is far a sensible post for an online discussion.
and just week ago moog15 was generally lauded for breaking new ground with app design/soundquality, as they did with filtatron and animoog.
not to mention how vastly applicable foogers proved to be.

Should’ve known better than to read the comments here. It’s like SynthDistopia lately…

I don’t own a Model D but had the chance to play a vintage one and a new one side by side at Moogfest along with a Voyager. These aren’t like the remakes, refaced and reboots we are accustomed to over the past few years. This is an actual Model D with a few modern conveniences. It has a character to it.

mmmmm another monophonic retro instrument that belongs in the 1970’s and is probablyy unstable, with drifting oscillators and limited keyboard range and with such a limited sound creation …. still want one though

Sober up guys.. the thing that sets the old mini apart from later analogue synths is the oscillator design. And you also know there were two different versions of the old osc board. I’m interested in the difference between these… i.e. now three different versions. Sure no model-d sound 100% like any of its siblings. But in my head – the best option is the oldest osc board with a tempco modification applied. The filter, amp and envelopes are easy to remake. It’s all down to the osc board. (I used to own a very old type mini – traded it for pennies when MIDI came – of course I regret it – however, new synths are more reliable than old ones – so – if the remade model D’s have good enough oscs.. then I’m having one).

For those that say Moog trades two much on its past, I have four words for you:

Guitar
Drums
Bass guitar

No one complains when hundreds of models of the above, each one no more advanced than they were 50 years ago, are release year after year, decade after decade.

It’s time to accept the synthesiser has been invented. It can’t be invented again. the Moog is just the fender Rhodes of synths. It doesn’t need to be anything else and Moog don’t need to in enemy a totally new form of electronic instrument to be relevant.

I had many Model D’s , this one is just another great one. It’s only right the heritage belongs to Moog , to bring it back. It’s been tastefully recreated. Just get over it , cause Fender , Gibson etc have..